Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Skate wheel
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-14
2003-10-28
Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Skate wheel
C301S005304, C152S017000, C280S011204, C188S068000, C384S495000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06637827
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to in-line skates, specifically to improve safety by providing the mechanical means to control speed and to abruptly stop.
2. Status of Prior Art
In-line skating in recent years has become an explosively popular sport, especially for adults. The composite boot, wheel frame and wheels have become progressively sophisticated and specifically engineered for all categories of recreational and competitive sport use. The high end retail price of such skates can be as much as $800 or more.
Watching an in-line skater is almost akin to watching an ice skater effortlessly glide across ice. However, the safety factor of edging skate blades on ice to abruptly stop; or comparably edging skis on snow to control one's downhill speed or stop is not the same nor presently possible for in-line skates on a concrete or asphalt surface.
The protective knee pads, elbow pads, wrist pads and helmet are testament to the fact that safely slowing down and quickly stopping are very difficult (if not impossible) maneuvers to do—and falling on concrete or asphalt is quite different from falling on snow or ice.
Though many enthusiasts are attracted to the sport and tempted to try it out, the available state of the art use of a rubber heel brake pad to slow down and stop is recognized as being unnatural and ineffective. To initiate this “braking” maneuver, the skater must get into an a awkward backward pressure leaning stance and body position. In that contorted position, the pressure on the rubber heal “brake” pad, realistically does not effectively slow the skater's speed nor allow the skater to abruptly stop. Accordingly, manufacturer's handbook statements are typically replete with bold letter “WARNING!” captions, explaining and emphasizing the danger and lack of in-line skating control.
In recent years additional improvements have been made to the quality of skate boots, including a lever arm at the back of the boot that attaches directly to the heel pad to increase the backward pressure on the rubber break pad. Variations of this system have been extensively marketed but the braking method remains marginally effective in being able to slow down or abruptly stop.
Consequently, the safety factor concern is still a major deterrent to the sport and a major challenge to inventors. This is evident by the innumerable patents devoted to breaking methods for in-line skates. Because the basic components of conventionally marketed in-line skates are relatively simple: boots; wheel frame; wheels; axles; and, axle bearings; the existing braking inventions to date are too intricate, too costly and of questionable effectiveness to attract the manufacturing industry. As such, the rubber heel brake pad method of control remains the predominate commercially available, ineffective method in use.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, the main object of this invention is to provide in-line skates with a more athletically natural means to control speed and abruptly stop, without the need for a heel braking pad or other currently available ineffective means.
This “EDGING CONTROL™” invention will allow an in-line skater to assume a forward and sideward pressure leaning position, to control speed and abruptly stop. That technique is comparable to the body stance and forces applied, when pressing ice skate blades against ice or the bottom, side edges of skis against snow.
To achieve this safety “EDGING FRICTION CONTROLS™” invention for in-line skates, required resolving four basic and novel concepts. After doing so, the total time consuming effort was devoted to the refinement of all the details (including a partial mock-up) and striving for product practicality and simplicity. This meant striving to keep overall dimensions as close to respective current sate of the art dimensions as possible and using stock sized parts where feasible. Doing so, it was reasoned, would make the invention more conducive and acceptable to manufacturers, as well as making it advantageously easier and less expensive to make a finished prototype model.
The four initial, fundamental concepts to the invention were:
A. The in-line skate wheels not only had to conventionally rotate vertically around a fixed axle, but also had to rotate at an inclined angel around the fixed axle, to cause friction contact (“EDGING CONTROL™”) within the wheel-wells of the skate frame. That interactive contact by friction Sand surfaces fused to each side of the wheels, against formed friction strip surfaces bonded to and within the wheel-wells of the frame, would in essence be comparable to ice skate edges “scoring” ice and ski edges “scoring” ice and snow to effectively control speed or to abruptly stop.
B. For the wheel to conventionally rotate around an axle in a vertical axis plane as well as at an inclined angle, it was apparent that the hub of the wheel could not be the same as presently manufactured. A conventionally marketed wheel has a hub that is typically a fixed, rigid plastic unit, which is cast in with the urethane tire material. In addition, the outside faces of the rigid hub are conventionally flush with both side faces of the wheel.
By comparison, for the wheel to rotate both vertically and at an inclined angle around a fixed axle, the wheel hub would have to be functionally different. There would also have to be depressions at both center side faces of the wheel (in both an unfinished and finished state). Such open space at both center side faces of the wheel, would allow the wheel to rotate at an inclined angle around a fixed horizontal axle.
C. The next problem to solve was what kind of functional wheel hub unit would be needed to allow both vertical and inclined rotation? Initially, the concept was to have a solid stainless steel ball welded to, and at the center of the wheel axle. Around that center axle ban, would be a conforming stainless steel concave ring wheel hub that would encase the steel axle ball.
While the concept seemed feasible, after reviewing the completed details of that solution, concerns about practicality and the undiminished desire to use stock parts, resulted in the driving force to seek a better solution later a significant effort, an existing stock bearing that came in a myriad of diameters and bore sizes was considered. That bearing is called a “plain spherical bearing”. Using that bearing as an in-line skate wheel hub would allow the wheel to rotate both vertically and at an inclination around a fixed axle.
D. The final fundamental problem to resolve was one that was difficult to ignore. Once EDGING force was applied (as in a side to side “striding” motion) and then released, would the wheel(s) return to the vertical axis plane (“coasting”) position? Uncertain whether forward motion centrifugal forces alone would accomplish that result, that potential problem had to be considered and resolved. A satisfactory solution would be to conceive a simple component—a tension-compression spring, that would result in self-aligning wheels.
In a catalog having a myriad of industrial use parts (McMaster-Carr Supply Company Catalog 105), in the last section on springs at the bottom of the last page (no. 3,047) that component was found. It was a spring that could be feasibly used as the self-aligning required component. Called “Stainless Steel Constant-Force Springs”, they are comparable to a tape measure and come in all widths and thicknesses. While not the accordion pleated sheet metal spring originally theorized, it seemed to be a desirable alternate stock part to use.
Having resolved the forgoing fundamental initial concepts, the next problem that surfaced became apparent in the process of drawing a preliminary cross section detail of the wheel/frame assembly. Though the center or core of the fabricated “constant force spring” would essentially be ¼″ I.D. (inside diameter) to fit and revolve around a standard ¼″ O.D. (outside diameter) axle, it was evident that when tension and compression forces were app
LandOfFree
Generation of in-line skates and skate-boards wtih safety... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Generation of in-line skates and skate-boards wtih safety..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Generation of in-line skates and skate-boards wtih safety... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3166515